Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC) is pleased to announce the selection of four finalists who The District Board of Trustees of Northwest Florida State College has invited to interview on Nov. 4 and 5, 2024. Following an Oct. 25, 2024 vote of the nine-member Presidential Search Committee, consisting of the eight members of the Board of Trustees and the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Northwest Florida State College Foundation, the following are the names of the finalist candidates (in alphabetical order):
- R. Gwyn Armfield, Brigadier General, US Air Force (ret.)
- Commissioner Melvin P. “Mel” Ponder
- Dr. James Walter Ross
- Dr. Mark F. Strickland, Jr.
“Our Presidential Search Committee, in partnership with Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting, recruited, reviewed, and interviewed an excellent pool of candidates with a wealth of life experience on the path to identify these finalists,” said Rhea Goff, NWFSC Trustee and Chair of the Board of Trustee’s Presidential Search Committee. “The amount of interest in this position from many qualified applicants has been a testament to Northwest Florida State College’s reputation and its critical place in our community. I extend my gratitude to every volunteer on our search committee for their time, energy, and enthusiasm throughout the committee’s role in this search. I believe this search will shape the future of Northwest Florida State College for years to come.”
The finalists will visit the Niceville Campus on Nov. 4 and 5, 2024, and participate in a variety of activities while on campus, culminating in an interview for each candidate with the Board of Trustees. To learn more about the schedule and how the community can get involved, visit www.nwfsc.edu/presidential-search.
“I extend the Board’s thanks to each of the semifinalist candidates for participating in the presidential search. It has been a privilege to work alongside my colleagues on the Board of Trustees as well as the Foundation Board Chair up to this point in the process,” said Lori Kelley, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “Selecting the next president of our College is a responsibility we do not take lightly. I look forward to meeting each of the finalists in November as we aim to select a candidate to serve our students, faculty, staff, and community.”
The resume for each finalist and the schedule of finalist interviews are available for review at www.nwfsc.edu/presidential-search. The College will continue to update the Presidential Search webpage as additional information is available.
For more information about Northwest Florida State College, visit www.nwfsc.edu or contact the Office of Strategic Communications at stratcomm@nwfsc.edu.
